Seal cutter



Nov. 10, 1953 F. A. MAITLAND SEAL CUTTER Filed NOV. l, 1952 INVENTOR.

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Patented Nov. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES l PATENT UFFICE' 2,658,270 e f l v fr I SEAL QUTTER Francis A. Maitland, Pawtucket, R. I.

Application November 1, 1952, Serial No. 318,250

Paper containers and similar boxes such as are used for cereals and the like as is well known have flanged covers telescoped with the body of the container and usually have a seal or paper wrapper secured to the exterior of the box and to the ange of the cover so as to seal and hold the cover in place. To open the box by removal of the cover, it is necessary to break or sever the seal or paper wrapper at the lower edge of the flange of the cover.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient device for severing the seal or paper wrapper at the lower edge of the cover.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient device having a blade W adapted to pierce the seal or paper wrapper and to be lodged and frictionally held between the exterior of the container and the flange of the cover and turned circumferentially about the container to sever said seal or paper wrapper.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the above character which will be constructed so as to secure vertical adjustment of the blade thereof for various depths of cover flanges.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple device for severing the seal or paper wrapper which may be manufactured at a comparatively low cost and be efficient and durable in use.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a box showing my seal cutter in working position on the box for severing the seal thereof;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of a fragmental portion of the box showing the seal cutter in working position with the blade thereof lodged between the ange of the cover and the exterior of the box body;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the cutter shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the cutter;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the slide part of the cutter; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view of a fragmental portion of a container or box illustrating the cover telescoped thereon and the seal as engag- 6 claims. icl. so-zi ing the exterior of the box and the flange of the cover.

Referring to the drawings, I0 designates a box of cylindrical form which, by way of example,

- may be a cereal container or a box made of cardboard stock aand having a cover II, the flange I2 of which is telescoped with the body of the box. The flange I2 of the cover extends exteriorly of the body of the box, and a paper seal I3 is adhesively secured to the exterior of the box and the flange I2, as best seen in Figure 6. The seal I3 is usually in the form of a wrapper on which is displayed matter apropos of the contents of the box, this wrapper functioning for both advertising purposes and for sealing the flange of the cover on to the box. The seal or paper wrapper at the portion which bridges the junction of the lower edge of the ange I 2 and the body of the box is usually somewhat offset as at I4 (see Figure 6) and provides a guide for tearing for severing the seal or wrapper to permit removal of the cover.

The seal cutter device in the present embodiment of the invention is made in two parts designated generally I6 and I T. Each may be conveniently made of thin sheet metal of a relatively stiff character. The part I6 is bent to form a top plate I8 and a right angularly depending arm I9 having an elongated opening 20 therethrough of rectangular form providing opposite shoulders 2|, 22. One end portion of the plate I8 is bent into an arcuate form so as to provide a handle 23 for receiving a finger of the hand of the user of the device. The plate I8 is adapted to bear fiatwise against the top of the cover I I with the arm I9 extending down the side of the box body.

The part I1 (see Figure 5) is slidably related to the part I 6 and has a body with a right angularly extending lip 24 which projects through the opening 20. Its longitudinal marginal edge portions are bent back upon themselves in spaced relation so as to form guide grooves 25, 26 in which is slidably received the arm I9. The body of the slide I1 extends beyond the groove 25, 26 and is offset or bent outwardly as at 21 and then again approximately at right angles to extend in a plane substantially parallel to the body of the slide to form the blade or cutter part 28 of the device. The edges of the blade 28 may be formed with a knife edge as at 29 and the upper edges of the said blade rounded as seen at 30 in Figure 5 or pointed as may be desired. It will be apparent that the lip 24 may be conveniently formed integral with the body of the slide by severing the said lip on three sides from the body of the slide, and then at the time of assembling of the parts I6, Il bending the severed portion outwardly to project through the opening 20 so as to lock the said parts to each other and limit the relative sliding movement of said parts for the distance between the shoulders 2|, 22. The slide I1 is also provided with a handle 3| formed into an arcuate shape as at 32 to receive another finger of the hand of the user.

It will be apparent that both these parts I6, l1 may be first blanked from sheet metal and then bent into the form shown and above described. However, the device may be made of a cast or molded construction of a palstic material of a natural or synthetic character. It will also be apparent that the size of the opening 20 may be chosen so as to secure vertical adjustment of the blade 28 for adapting the device to various depths of flanges I2.

. In using the device, the slide I'I is moved outwardly to position the upper edge 30 of the blade a distance sufilcient so that when the plate I8 is placed on the cover -I I, the blade will be at a position beneath the lower edge of the flange I2 of the cover II. With the plate I in proper position atwise on the cover II and the arm depending down the side of the container, the blade 28 will be at a position beneath the lower edge of the cover I2 and in line with the offset portion Il of the seal or paper wrapper I3. In this position the slide may now be moved inwardly for the blade 2B to pierce the seal or wrapper and to lodge between the container and the flange I2, as seen in Figures 1 and 2. The friction of the flange and side of the box on the blade 28 will be suflicient to hold the slide against movement relative to the arm I9. The handles 23 and SI may now be engaged by the fingers of the hand of the operator to rotate the device about the circumference of the container and thus tear or sever said seal I3 adjacent the lower edge of the flange I2 to free the cover for the removal thereof.

I claim:

1. A device for severing a seal attached to a container to secure a flange cover thereon comprising a part adapted to bear against the top of the cover and having an arm extending down the side of the body of the container, and a slide on said arm having a blade thereon adapted upon movement of said slide to pierce said seal at the lower edge of said flange to be lodged between said ange and container body and sever said seal by moving the device circumferentially about said container body- 2. A device as set forth in claim l wherein said device has a handle for moving lthe device about said container.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein both said part and slide each have a handle for engagement for operating the device.

4. A device as set forth in claim l wherein said blade is offset from the body of the slide.

5. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said part has spaced shoulders and said slide has a lip projecting between said shoulders to engage therewith for limiting the sliding movement of said slide.

6. A device for severing a `seal comprising a plate having an arcuate end portion adapted to bear against the top of the cover of a container and an arm extending right angularlv from Said plate to extend down the side of said container and having an elongated opening therethrough, a slide having guide grooves et opposite edges thereof for slidably receiving said arm, said slide having a lip thereon projecting through said opening to secure said slide to said arm and limit the sliding movement thereof, said slide having a blade thereon oiiset from the body of said slide and extending parallel to said arm and spaced therefrom a distance to receive between said arm and said blade the flange of a cover when said blade is inserted between said flange and the body of the container associated with said cover.

FRANCIS A. IIAI'I'LANID` No cited.. 

